Aster (ASTER), a decentralized perpetual contract exchange, is under scrutiny following accusations from Simon Dedic, founder of Moonrock Capital, who claims the project operates as a 'criminal Ponzi scheme.' Dedic's allegations focus on purported wash trading, internal token distribution, and a lack of product innovation. Despite these serious claims, 'whales' have accumulated over 118 million ASTER tokens, valued at $270 million. Further criticism comes from Supra CEO Joshua Tobkin, who questions Aster's decentralization, suggesting it functions more like a centralized exchange. These allegations raise significant concerns about the project's operational integrity and transparency.